RAMALLAH, January 25, 2011 (WAFA) – The Negotiations Affairs Department (NAD) of the PLO denied in a statement on Tuesday that the leak of documents to al-Jazeera came from a staff member.

“We deny unsubstantiated reports in Israeli and other media outlets attributing the source of the alleged leak of classified documents to Negotiations Affairs Department advisors,” said the statement.

“The PLO is currently investigating the issues surrounding the alleged leaking.” 

The statement stressed that “contrary to what these irresponsible and unsubstantiated media reports have alleged, no NAD advisor has been arrested or left the country and all continue to carry out their responsibilities.”

The NAD called on the media which mentioned names of staff as the ones who leaked the information “to be retracted and redacted immediately,” demanding “for corrections to be printed and broadcast conspicuously by all responsible media outlets.”

It said, pending the results of the PLO investigation currently underway, “naming such personnel is irresponsible, constitutes willful slander and very seriously puts at risk the safety of innocent individuals.”

M.A.